Elevator construction



June 21, 1932. A. E. PRINCE ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 23, 1930 R Y m N o E T V T m A a G mu m V i 4 I. m I m M I m I a 3 H m m m m I m w M w a P m w l I 1'' 1 1 1 .I||||| III'II/I/l/ H 1 5: ,2 4 z 9 m T s .I E J W M 1% A m m e 5 m Hwu u I H Uh H H H H NH H H I Hh Ul l l u. l l l l l n I I I I I I I I I HHHHHH ufl ll r 7 Patented June 21, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT ,OFFICEITFQF ARTHUR ENNIS PRINCE, OF MERRICK, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TOOTTS ELEVATOR COM- PANY, OF NEW YORK, Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTION Application filed Augusti23, 1930. Serial No, 477,208.

The usual practice is to suspend the travel ling cable from two junction boxes, one fastened to a side wall of the hatchway and the other fastened to the'bottom of the elevator car, and to allow the cable to depend freely from its points of suspension in the hatchwayr Thus, the cable is free to swing in the hatchway' with the result that in certain installations it may catch on members extending into the-hatchway or may catch on or interfere with other moving objects in the hatchway. For example, this swinging of the elevator travelling cable may be caused by the pitch or roll of the ship in elevator or dumbwaiter installations on shipboard. Also, this swinging may be caused by air currents which traverse the hatchway, particularly in cases where the hatchway is exposed. Interference with the travelling cable is likely to occur in installations where more than one car is provided in p the same hatchway and the travelling cable for one car must pass the other car. The present invention is directed to obviating these difiiculties.

One feature of the invention is to restrict the amount of swinging motion of the travelin or protruding into the elevator hatchway.

A third feature resides in the provisionof a chute or similar means for the travelling cable for confining the cable to alimited portion of the hatchway.

Other features and advantages will be apparent from the following description and appended claims. V

For the purpose of illustrating the genus of the invention, a typical concrete embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a portion of an elevator hatchway with an elevator car therein;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail ofcertain parts shown in Figures 1 and 2, as viewed from the bottom ofthe car. Referring to the drawing, the elevator car 10 is provided with rails for guiding it during its travel up and down in the hatchway 13. The travelling cable" 12 which contains the conducting wires leading to and from the elevator car is illustrated as a single cable but it is to be understood thatseveral cables may be provided, depending upon the requirements of the particular installation. This cable is secured to the bottom of the ele vat-or car, usually to a junction box 141110111113- ed on the car framework, in such manner asto take the load ofthecable off the conducting wires. A conduit,15 leads from the junction box 14 to the control or signal mechanism in the car. For convenience, the conduit 15 has been illustrated as leading to a car switch designated 16.v This conduit con-- tains conducting wiresjoined to the travelling cable conducting wiresat the junction box 14L The other terminal of travelling cable 12 is at the junction "box 17 secured to aside wall ofthehatchway 13, usually at the approximate center ,of the vertical travel of the c ar. Cable -12 is sus pended at junction box 17 in. such manner as,

to take the load off the conducting wires. A conduit 11 is illustrated as leading from the junction box 17 as indicative of the connection from the travelling cable to the control or signal apparatus outside the car.

To prevent the travelling cable from fouling objects in the hatchway 13, a vertical sheath or chute 18 is provided for the cable in the hatchway. The-chute 18 is preferably constructed of fairly heavy gauge metal and is secured at intervals to the hatchway v wall in any suitable manner. The chute is provided with a central opening 19 extending vertically throughout itsilength. The edges 20 of the chute bordering on the opening 19 are preferably rolled and the chute as a whole is made shallow and wide as illustrated "in Figure 3. i

Junction box as ai iaiigd at but side being caught on'objects disposed Within or the chute to suspend the fixed end of the travelling cable at a point remote from the slot 19. The other end of the travelling cable is supported from the elevator car in such manner as to cause the cable to depend into the chute at other side thereof. This support is preferably in the form of a pipe but a bracket or any other suitable means may be provided. For convenience, a pipe, designated 21, has

been shown. This pipe; is supported from the bottom of the; elevator car and is provided with a right angle bend 22. The pipe extends from the junction box 14 to. thex'center 'the' cable away from the slot, thus insuring the retention of the cable in the chute. The travelling cable is therefore limited in its movementto a path defined by the chute 18, thus eliminating any possibility of the-cable projecting into the elevator hatchway or in terfering withother moving objects in the hatchway.

The arrangement; above described is also suitable for defining the paths of movement of other flexible conducting means such as the air hose employed to conduct air to the gate operating mechanism.

As manychangescould be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this inven tion could be made Without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in' the above description. or shown in theaccompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limit- 7 ing sense.

\Vhat is claimed, is:

1.. In an elevator installation, ahatchway, an elevator car therein, a flexible member hanging in the hatchway with one end attached to the car and the. other end attached at a point in the hatchway, and means for confining said flexible member to such definite portion of the hatchway as to prevent said member from fouling objects in the hatchway during movement of the car.

2: In an elevator installation, a hatchway,

an elevator car therein, a flexible member hanging in the hatchway with one end attachd to thecarandgthe' other end attached I V at a poi-nt in the hatchway, and} a chute for saidflexible member-for confining said mem; her to a limitedportion ofthe hatchway,.

3. In an elevator installation, a hatchway, an elevator car adapted to travel up and down in said hatchway, a travelling cable depending from said car and a wall of said hatchway, and a chute for said travelling cable disposedalong said wall of the hatchway for preventing said cable from fouling objects in the hatchway.

4. In an elevator installation, a hatchway, an elevator car adaptedto travelup and down in said hatchway, a travelling cable communicating between the elevator car and a junction in the hatchway, a chute disposed adj acent the elevator and parallel with the hatchway, said chute having a central opening extending throughout the length of said chute, and a supportfor the car end of they cable extendingthrough said opening to a point within said chute remote from said opening. I j

5. In an elevator installation, a hatchway, an elevator car adapted to travel up and down in said hatchway, a travelling cable communicating between said car and a point in'said hatchway, a chute for said cable disposed adjacent said elevator car and having a central opening throughout its length, said opening being parallel with the hatchway, a support'for the car end portion of said travelling cable extending through said opening to a'point Within the chute remote from said opening, and a support for the hatchway end of the travelling cable for suspending that end of the cable from a point within said chute remote from said chute opening and said first-named cable end.

6. In an elevator installation, a hatchway, an elevator car adapted to travel up and down said hatchway, a travelling cable for said car, a chute for said cable disposed adj acent said elevator car and having a central opening throughout its length, said opening being parallel with the hatchway, a junction box fixed to the bottomof said car and forming one terminal for said travelling cable, a second junction box fixed to a mid-point of a wall of the hatchwayand forming the support for the other end portion of said travelling cable, said second junction box commu nicating with the interior of saidchute at a point remote from the chute opening, and a support fixed to the bottom of said car for conducting an end portion of the travelling cable from said first-named junction box to the interior of said chute at a point remote from saidopening and said second-named junctionbox.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my nametothis specification.

ARTHUR ENNIS PRINCE. 

